Thread by @shayshinecastle

That was apropos, since we're now moving into the call-up of the Macy's project. www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Item_4A_-…

Some details: 1900 28th Street
Adaptive reuse and redesign
11,746 sq ft addition plus outdoor space, landscaping and public amenities
Want to increase building height from 38 feet to 51 feet (two to three stories)
155,136 sq ft of office space
7,730 sq ft of retail “marketplace”

West side of the building will be “pulled in” by 30 feet, basement level daylighted, create a plaza space along the western facade and two interior “lightwell” spaces, roof deck
30% will be open space
Sidewalk will be added, bike street on Walnut widened

It's a site review, NOT a use review, so council can't say no office there (that's a use). The applicant is requesting a height modification, as noted above.

Planning board approved 4-3 with conditions, including submission of more detailed plans related to outdoor lighting, paying for employee eco-passes, utilities, landscaping, shadow analysis, etc.

A bit of background on the property:
Mall was redone in mid-2000s. Crossroad (enclosed) to Twenty Ninth Street
Approval included height modification up to 55 feet (charter limit)
Site: 2.35 acre lot, 38 feet with 55-foot “mechanical penthouse”

"Mechanical penthouse" sounds like a really terrible design motif, tbh

Wanna see some old-timey pictures of the Crossroads mall? Of course you do.

Elaine McLaughlin, planner: "It's technically a three-story addition, but it reads as two stories" with this sub-level plaza being opened up.

I've got some renderings, if you're interested.

Of course you are.

Brockett asking about Two Nine North folks' allegations: Did we have proper notice for the Planning Board?
Yes, McLaughlin says. We followed the law for that.

"It may have been there was a previous case manager who doesn't work at the city today who may have taken an email that wasn't transmitted."

Brockett: I know we met the posting requirements. I'm just concerned about the assertion from that party who were told the meeting was rescheduled and did not received revised notice.

Charles Ferro: I think that was the result of a case manager who resigned and moved on. We had no idea there was a courtesy notification hanging out there.

Wallach: This is referred to as an adaptive reuse. What portion of the building is being adaptively reused other than the basic foundation?

McLaughlin: My understanding is the building is being retrofitted with windows and then have an addition put on.
Wallach: What are the linkage fees for this project?
McLaughlin: I believe $1.8M

Wallach: Is this using Opportunity Zone benefits?
McLaughlin: That's not part of site review.

Unless things have changed, no. That was revealed early on. (This has been in the works since 2018)

Weaver: How many net new jobs will be created?
McLaughlin: We don't know that specifically, but the transportation demand plan estimated office uses 1,600 daily trips, while department stores had up to 3,000 trips daily.

"As a general rule of thumb, we're looking at a decrease of bodies," she says.

Weaver: That's an interesting assertion, bc I thought it was the opposite. 100-200 ppl at any given time in the Macy's, versus 400-700 office workers.

McLaughlin: That's daily vehicle trips, part of the transportation study.
Weaver: So it's a vehicle count, not a measure of ppl who will be working there?
Correct, she says.

The addition of height is going to be to create more office space, Weaver clarifies with a q and answer from McLaughlin.

Young moves to call this up.

Wallach seconds.

Call up = review
In the case of site review, it comes with approval authority.

Young: The need in the community is housing. This project illustrates how "quickly and severely" the imbalance of jobs and housing can happen.

Some talk over Boulder's use tables, which have changed since the applicant filed its plans.
Friend asking what the legal requirements are. She asked staff but Young is answering.

The first criteria is that it meets the BVCP, which will have been changed by the time this project is permitted.

Weaver: The opportunity zone moratorium was not in effect when they submitted the applications, and the changes we made to office space in the use tables were not in place.

So we can't use those criteria, he clarifies.

McLaughlin: The comp plan does talk about regional business and general business as opportunities for residential, as opposed to mixed use business. There is confusion about what's intended for Twenty Ninth Street Mall, which is mixed use.

Yates voting for a call-up, which is unusual. "This is the largest new office building in my five years on council."

Plus the 4-3 split on Planning Board makes it "incumbent on us to continue that dialogue," he says.

Brockett also voting in favor of a call-up, given the due process concerns and the folks who missed the hearing.

So this will almost certainly be called up.

It's unanimous. This will be reviewed then. Hearing in a month or so. I'll let you know.

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